SALAMANCA — Native American students at the Salamanca City Central School District now have one more chance to display pride in their culture before graduating this summer.

The Board of Education unanimously approved a resolution granting Native American students the option to wear traditional Native American regalia at graduation ceremonies beginning in 2017 instead of the red or gray caps and gowns.

Several Native American students, attired in traditional regalia, formally presented their request at a meeting last month and shared their reasons for wanting to wear their regalia at graduation.

“This started out in February. Students came to me wanting to wear traditional regalia at graduation,” said Jerry Musial, a junior-senior high history teacher who also teaches Seneca history. “There were some inquiries and it grew from there. They have gone through a long process and talked to a lot of different people along the way.”

Prior to the meeting, Native American students met with grade 11 and 12 student class officers, student government advisors, district administrators and the Title VII Parent Committee, Musial said.

The Title VII committee approved the motion to support the students as they continue to take pride in their culture by expression of their accomplishment to wear their native regalia during graduation ceremonies.

“They said that if this gets approved, they would be happy to help with getting the outfits together,” Musial said of the parent committee. “That’s a longer process. Some (students) have complete outfits — some people have partial — and that’s because there are steps along the way and it takes time for that happen.”

Salamanca senior Adrianne Cook said she attended school on a reservation near Syracuse and graduated from middle school in her regalia there. It wasn’t until this year when she began thinking about graduating from high school in her regalia as well.

“It is our most formal way of dressing. We wear it to our ceremonies and other formal activities,” Cook said. “I always hear about the school wanting to promote the diversity within everyone who attends here and what they believe in. I think it would be great for us to wear our regalia at graduation because it is promoting diversity and our cultural heritage. It show we have pride in who we are and what our formal attire is to everyone.”

Kamryn Cook, a junior and Adrianne’s sister, explained what boys and girls regalia would consist of. Along with their traditional dresses, the girls would wear an underskirt, leggings and moccasins, as well as cuffs and a collar. If the girls only wanted to wear their dresses, they would have black formal wear on from the waist down and black dress shoes.

For the boys, Cook said they would wear their traditional shirts, breechcloth, leggings, moccasins, belt and a headdress. If the boys only wanted to wear their shirts, they would also have black formal wear on from the waist down and black dress shoes. Cook said everyone would be wearing their own personal regalia unique to the individual.

A map of the graduation seating chart showed students in traditional regalia seated around the Native American student who will be reciting the Gonö:nyök, a traditional thanksgiving address recited at ceremonies.

Many other students at the board meeting shared why they wanted to wear their regalia at graduation. Reasons included:

“Something for the little kids to look up to. What else is there?” said board member Kerry John. “If you’re going to graduate wearing your traditional outfits and these kids see that, it may be enough to keep them in school. I love it.”

Superintendent Robert Breidenstein said the support from other students who will be graduating was overwhelming, adding that they said it was something they would be happy to let their fellow students to participate in.

“I have goosebumps because of the students being able to honor their heritage and their ancestors and their family in such a way,” Breidenstein said. “This is exactly who Salamanca is and who we are becoming each and every day.”

Breidenstein said he was proud of the response from everyone involved, including the students, the advisors and the adults who brought the recommendation to the board, as well as the support of the Seneca Nation, the board members and the fellow students and staff.

“This is historic, and I’m so pleased and thankful for you being such strong leaders in our school,” he said.